Need help determining if I can get home charging with this panel

[Lucas007]

Hello all,
I’m not sure if this I the right place to ask, but here it goes. I was just told by a retired electrician that my house have a 50 amp panel and it is too small to add a breaker for a Tesla 220 charger, is there any truth to this?

Thank you,

 

[jjrandorin]

Hello,

This would be much better in one of the "battery and charging" subforums, the one for the car you have or are thinking of buying.

No one will be able to advise you of what you might or might not have, unless you provide pictures of every "breaker box" you have in your home.

============================
(moderator note)

If you post which car you have (or are thinking about buying), I will move this post to the appropriate subforum.

 

[Jbuntz]

Hello all,
I’m not sure if this I the right place to ask, but here it goes. I was just told by a retired electrician that my house have a 50 amp panel and it is too small to add a breaker for a Tesla 220 charger, is there any truth to this?

Thank you,

a picture of your panel would help.

 

[glide]

Hello all,
I’m not sure if this I the right place to ask, but here it goes. I was just told by a retired electrician that my house have a 50 amp panel and it is too small to add a breaker for a Tesla 220 charger, is there any truth to this?

Thank you,

You’re not going to be able to add a Tesla charger and run the rest of your house on that size panel.

Hire a non-retired electrician to remediate.

 

[Lucas007]

Picture of the breaker box.

 

[jjrandorin]

Picture of the breaker box.

Is that the only one on your residence? I dont see a main breaker there. Also, as I mentioned, this isnt the right location for this post. What car are you trying to charge?

EDIT: Most of your posting seems to be in the model Y subforum so I will move this to model Y battery and charging (and change the thread title).

 

[NotDeadYet]

As old as that panel looks to be, you need an electrician, almost certainly a panel upgrade, and possibly a service upgrade.

 

[alexgr]

Picture of the breaker box.

You have a A/C 50 A breaker; There should be a main breaker elsewhere, and that will be more like 100A or so, I guess.
Considering that you already have a 50A breaker, it shouldn't a problem to have another 50A breaker, BUT you may have trouble using both the charger and the A/C if your main power breaker is small or if you live in a multi-residence housing and share the main breaker with your neighbors.

 

[jcanoe]

I don't see any circuit breakers designated for a laundry washer or dryer. Is there a service panel located elsewhere outside or inside the home?

 

[Lucas007]

 

[Lucas007]

You have a A/C 50 A breaker; There should be a main breaker elsewhere, and that will be more like 100A or so, I guess.
Considering that you already have a 50A breaker, it shouldn't a problem to have another 50A breaker, BUT you may have trouble using both the charger and the A/C if your main power breaker is small or if you live in a multi-residence housing and share the main breaker with your neighbors.

I posted another picture if it helps. Thank you.

 

[jcanoe]

I posted another picture if it helps. Thank you.

Can you take a photo inside the green box?

 

[alexgr]

I posted another picture if it helps. Thank you.

What the ....
I understand the first picture is inside this green box, correct?
I wonder, what is the gauge of the main electrical cable powering your house?
Here is how a really good main power feeder wire should look like:

You may really be limited by 50A total if your main wire is the one going through the PVC pipe on the wall.

 

[Lucas007]

Can you take a photo inside the green box?

The very first attachment is what is inside of the green box.

 

[Lucas007]

What the ....
I understand the first picture is inside this green box, correct?
I wonder, what is the gauge of the main electrical cable powering your house?
Here is how a really good main power feeder wire should look like:
View attachment 754729
You may really be limited by 50A total if your main wire is the one going through the PVC pipe on the wall.

The white PVC pipe will be chuck into the garbage soon(mom-in-laws ex) installed that line for the shed which is no longer in service and ends about 5 foot out. This house is handed to us by mom in law.

 

[alexgr]

This house is handed to us by mom in law.

Yes, I should have guess that!

 

[Fourdoor]

Unless the power meter is right above it I would say that green box is a sub panel of some kind. If the power meter is NOT right there, then the main breaker box should be right next to the power meter.

Keith

 

[Lucas007]

Unless the power meter is right above it I would say that green box is a sub panel of some kind. If the power meter is NOT right there, then the main breaker box should be right next to the power meter.

Keith

Power meter is right above it.

 

[Lucas007]

So is my only option is to upgrade the panel?

Thank you,

 

[Qbenjamin]

Based off of those pics, if there is no other electrical panel, you'll need to upgrade the entire breaker box. On a more common home, there would be a main panel with the ability to add more breakers to it. Your current panel has no available slots and piggy-backing off of the 50A circuit could lead to issues later (not to mention it would trip if you're trying to charge while the breaker is also actively powering something else) . Unfortunately, you'll need to spend a few grand if you want to do this properly.